Hannah Hidalgo’s Legend Grows With College GameDay Appearance and MVP Chants
A short interview, many topics
Hidalgo spoke with ESPN reporter Jess Sims during a brief College GameDay appearance. She discussed Notre Dame’s fan base, the team’s trip to Italy to play Villanova and meet the Pope, and expectations for this season’s women’s basketball team.
She also predicted that Notre Dame would beat Miami. Her call was correct about the winner, but not the score: Hidalgo forecast 24-7, while the Irish won 31-24. The crowd welcomed her on camera with MVP chants.
A select group of players
Hidalgo is among a relatively small group of women’s college basketball figures to appear on College GameDay. The article names Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Candace Parker, Mikayla Blakes and Chiney Ogwumike among the other players who have appeared.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has also been featured. The limited number of women’s basketball appearances helps make Hidalgo’s spot on the broadcast notable.
A record-setting weekend
Notre Dame’s women’s team beat Stonehill 123-40 on Friday. Hidalgo had 27 points, 10 steals and six rebounds, and the article says she set a record this century for the most career games with at least 20 points and 10 steals, reaching seven.
The weekend also included Notre Dame football’s 31-24 victory over No. 1 Miami. The article describes Hidalgo’s GameDay appearance as a public-relations boost and suggests she may have become one of South Bend’s most prominent figures, while noting that her standing could change.
Key points
- Hidalgo appeared on College GameDay before Notre Dame’s 31-24 win over No. 1 Miami.
- Her 24-7 prediction got the winner right but not the final score.
- She recorded 27 points and 10 steals against Stonehill, reaching seven career games with those minimums.
- Fans chanted “MVP” during Hidalgo’s on-camera appearance.